Color management or color calibration generally refers to the adjustment of the colors of one output device to match those of another. The device that is to be calibrated is typically referred to as a calibration source and the device that serves as a comparison standard is often referred to as a calibration target. Both target and source may comprise a color space such as Adobe™ RGB or CMYK color space, a test print, color chart or material sample.
In Digital Light Processing (DLP) projectors, the image is created by microscopically small mirrors laid out in a matrix on a semiconductor chip, known as a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). Each mirror represents one or more pixels in the projected image. The number of mirrors corresponds to the resolution of the projected image, for example, 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×720, and 1920×1080 (HDTV) matrices are some common DMD sizes. These mirrors can be repositioned rapidly to reflect light either through the lens or on to a heatsink. Rapidly toggling the mirror between these two orientations (essentially on and off) produces grayscales, controlled by the ratio of on time to off time. Two primary methods by which DLP projection systems create a color image include those utilized by single-chip DLP projectors, and those used by three-chip projectors.
Digital Cinema projectors in commercial cinemas are still in the early stages of deployment today but are likely to become commonplace over the next several years. Digital Cinema projectors are used on a regular basis in the color grading process associated with digital intermediate post production. In such an application a manual test is made with a color meter and adjustments are made to the projector if required to maintain proper color accuracy. However, this type of daily attention is not practical nor is it envisioned to be employed in a commercial environment. Indeed, the presentation qualities in commercial cinemas regularly suffer from inconstant picture quality often due to inconsistent color fidelity.
Accordingly, a system and method for maintaining color fidelity in Digital Cinema projection systems to improve presentation quality and consistency is highly desirable.